Eying the Wista 4x5RF to be used with "regular" Schneider lenses as well as an Aero Ektar 175mm f/2.5 for "handheld" (monopod) portraiture, does anyone have an experience with the camera and the precision of the rangefinder? How does it compare to the Littman Single ?

I've never used the Wista, but had a Littman for a few years. If the Wista is as accurate as the Littman RF it would be phenominal. Does the Wista use cams like the Linhof Tech cameras? Handheld 4x5 is dreamy.

The rangefinder in the Litman or other polaroid 110b conversion is certainly one of the biggest and brightest when in good condition. There are several people out there who know how to grind the cams to work with different lenses. If you know of someone that can calibrate the wista rf through the focal length for a custom lens, I'd love to hear about it. The issue with the 110b conversions is that fast (and larger) lenses have to be removed to close the camera up. Hard to get longer than 150mm in the 110b conversions but the Wista obviously could. Rangefinder isn't as good though and that makes it tough for using fast lenses wide open.

I have two Alpenhause 110b conversions and they sure are great for hand held work. I really enjoy shooting them and did so today in studio along with my AFi.

However shooting such a shallow depth of field with a 4x5 range finder can be very difficult.

The main problem is that the rangefinder will only help you focus on a feature that is in the very center of the frame.Recomposing for your shot will throw your focus off.

I have shot for years on large format 8x10 film and polaroid. Fashion editorial and advertising. I found that you really have to focuswith your composition already established and on the ground glass.

However I did do some hand held 4x5 using what I call the string technique.

I would run a string from the lens to the subjects eye. I had it on a retracting thingy like a small dogs retractable leash.Either I would man the camera or my assistant.

IF I was at the lens I would set up the shot indicating to the assistant where I wanted the framing. I would then pose the model and pull the string uptoup to just beside the eye of the model. The line had markings that corresponded to marking on the focus rail.

With this method I could shoot wide open and with a very high focus hit rate. The method also let me keep close to the subject and concentrate on mood and expression.

However it is a two man job.

I have had the model be the second "man" a few times. I ask them to hold up the line and then drop bring it down just before the shot.

If you are interested in 4x5 portraiture with rangefinders you should check out these two friends of mine..

I don't think you understood what I was getting at in my post. The issue is not how accurate the RF focusing is.The problem is that the RF focusing spot is in the center of the frame. If the feature you are focusing on is not in the center of the frameyou can't use the RF to focus on it.With a focal length of 150mm on a 4x5 focus and recomposing at wide apertures will result in focus shift.However accurate the RF mechanism is you can't get away from this.

Brian,You'll find a lot of people with the top or side mounted rangefinders have found a way to mod them using an LED light or LED laser. The light works the RF in reverse and projects two dots out. You just adjust the focus until the two light dots converge. That helps with the first part of the issue - size and brightness of the RF. The 2nd issue is a calibration issue. This calibration issue involves grinding the cam to the right curve to match a specialized the lens. Only a few people out there seem do have the skills to do it. There is this guy in Japan who seems to have the know how. I've seen in his blog how he charts the focus distance and makes a profile curve for the cams and then grinds them. http://salihonbashome.blogspot.com/ Maybe he can mod the wista RF to fit the 150/2.8? No question he can fit the 150/2.8 to a 110b for you. He's got one pictured on his blog. http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-L7SaY4cqbsQ/T5YCNHfPzAI/AAAAAAAAO7E/UDplc38oedA/s1600/P1010127.JPGEric